Title Pending
by Axium-Luvr
Summary: Four friends are sent on a journey by StarClan to save LeafClan, who is soon to be destroyed. On their journey, they will find adventure, romance, a each will discover something about themselves they didn't know before. My first fic!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Mintpaw nosed her way through the undergrowth, treading the ground lightly. She could smell a vole a few tail lengths ahead of her. She crouched and drew herself forward more slowly. Then, the small, furry creature came within view. It was crouching underneath a swath of heather, nibbling on a stalk of grass. With a flick of her tail, Mintpaw pounced. As she landed, she snagged the fleeing vole with two claws, brought it to her muzzle, and ended its life with a snap of her jaws.

"Excellent work, Mintpaw!" the she-cat's mentor, Oreclaw meowed as Mintpaw dropped the vole at his feet. "I think that's enough hunting for one day. Gather up the rest of the prey and we'll head back to camp." Mintpaw nodded and sprinted away to the tall oak where she had buried the two mice she had caught earlier. Digging them up, she grabbed each of them by their tails and raced back to Oreclaw, who was just beginning to pad in the direction of the LeafClan camp.

Mintpaw tried to stick to the patches of light that shone through the trees above her. It was leaf-fall, and warmth was beginning to become as scarce as the leaves on the trees. The apprentice's pelt still hadn't grown out yet, so she had trouble keeping herself warm at night. At least she slept between Marshpaw and Lizardpaw, her two best friends. The two of them had naturally fluffy coats, and so whenever Mintpaw was cold, she could snuggle up against one of them to warm herself. Mintpaw wondered how the two of them were doing. They were supposed to be at battle training. Lizardpaw had injured his paw about a moon ago when he was chasing a squirrel and it still hadn't fully healed. A pang of worry struck Mintpaw in the heart, but she shook it off.

_Lizardpaw can take care of himself,_ she thought. _He'll be fine._

By the time Oreclaw and Mintpaw had returned to camp, the sun was beginning to set, and a light mist had settled over the LeafClan camp. Requiemstar, the leader of LeafClan, sat atop the Lowstump, where Clan meetings were held, sharing a mouse with her deputy, Waspwing. Mintpaw deposited her prey onto the fresh-kill pile and scanned the clearing for Marshpaw and Lizardpaw. She saw the two of them sitting by the medicine den, talking in low whispers with Marshpaw's twin sister, Stormpaw. Mintpaw trotted over to the group and sat down beside Lizardpaw.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Stormpaw got a message from StarClan!" Marshpaw mewed excitedly.

"Really?" Mintpaw meowed. "Cool!"

"No, it's not!" Stormpaw hissed. "I've never gotten a dream from StarClan before! And they said that the Clans would be destroyed!"

"Well, what can _we_ do about it?" Marshpaw muttered. "We're just apprentices. We might as well just sit back and watch our Clan wither away."

"Don't be so negative, Marshpaw," Lizardpaw snapped. He turned to Stormpaw. "Why don't you tell us about the dream? What did StarClan say?"

"Well," Stormpaw mewed. "They said that four cats could save the four Clans, but they didn't say who the cats were. They did say that the cats would be from LeafClan, though."

"How do we find out who the chosen ones are?" Mintpaw asked.

"I'm supposed to bring Thrushwing and all of the apprentices to the Star River tonight," Stormpaw meowed.

"Then you'd better tell Requiemstar to get all the apprentices together," Lizardpaw meowed. "I'll go get Thrushwing."

In a heartbeat, the two of them were gone, leaving Marshpaw and Mintpaw sitting side by side, just staring at each other.

"Well," Marshpaw meowed finally. "If we're gonna go all the way to the Star River, we might as well eat first."

XXXX

It was moonrise when Stormpaw, Thrushwing, and the rest of the apprentices set out to the Star River. They had a good distance to travel, and so far they were keeping up a pretty good pace. All of the apprentices had a glint of excitement in their eyes. Foxpaw, Rosepaw, Seapaw, and Marshpaw trailed along in a small cluster at the back of the group, while Mintpaw, Stormpaw and Thrushwing trotted along in front, leaving Lizardpaw sandwiched in the middle. The tabby tom kept his eyes on the ground most of the way, and after a while, it began to worry Mintpaw. She slowed her pace until she was padding right alongside her friend.

"Are you OK?" she asked.

"No, I'm fine," Lizardpaw insisted. "It's just that, what if I'm one of the chosen cats? I'm really not the heroic type, you know? And plus, if we have to go somewhere far from camp, my paw will only slow the group down."

"Even if you're not chosen," Mintpaw mewed. "You'll always be a hero to your Clan. And especially to me." Mintpaw licked her friend's shoulder.

"Are you sure?" Lizardpaw meowed.

"Of course," Mintpaw replied sincerely. "You're my best friend. Would I ever lie to you?"

"I guess not," Lizardpaw murmured.

The two of them padded along in silence for the rest of the hike through the forest. Finally, just as the moon reached the highest point in the sky, the group of LeafClan cats arrived at the Star River.

"All right, everyone," Thrushwing meowed, gathering the apprentices around her. "Lay down on the bank of the Star River and lap up some of the water. Then, close your eyes, and you'll go to share tongues with StarClan. When you awake, you must all tell me which of you has been chosen."

"Yes, Thrushwing," the apprentices mewed in unison. Then, they all raced over to the stream. Mintpaw sat between Lizardpaw and Stormpaw and lapped water nervously from the sacred river. Then, she closed her eyes hesitantly and lay her head on the cold, hard earth. In a moment, she was asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Mintpaw opened her eyes to find herself standing beside the Star River, surrounded by more cats than she had ever seen in her life. Every one of them had stars falling from their fur. One of them, an old white she-cat, stepped forward.

"Greetings, Mintpaw," she meowed. "My name is Leafstar, the first leader of LeafClan. These are your ancestors. We have a very special request for you."

Mintpaw's stomach tightened. She was sure she knew what was coming. "Yes?" she mewed meekly.

"We need you to save LeafClan," Leafstar meowed. "Your Clan is in grave danger, Mintpaw. A group of cats is on its way to destroy you all, and they are more powerful than the four Clans put together. Only one cat knows how to destroy them, and he lives a very long way away from the Clans and is on the verge of death. He does have a son, though, and his son has all the power and knowledge he has. But his son is blind, and may not be able to make the trip back to the Clans."

"Then what can I do?" Mintpaw asked.

"That is for you and the other three to decide," Leafstar meowed. "Good-bye, Mintpaw."

Before the apprentice could blink, the starry cats were gone. She opened her eyes to find herself back where she had started: wedged between Lizardpaw and Stormpaw, who were still asleep. The apprentice stood and stretched, yawning sleepily, then padded away from the bank and waited for the rest of the apprentices to awaken. It wasn't long before Rosepaw and Foxpaw awoke. Then Stormpaw, Marshpaw, Lizardpaw, Seapaw, Lizardpaw, and finally Thrushwing awoke. Each of the cats lined up and spoke to Thrushwing in turn. When it was Mintpaw's turn, she gulped and whispered, "I was chosen."

"I know," the medicine cat meowed. "StarClan has told me. Go on then, and join the rest of the group. We'll announce the prophecy and who else was chosen tomorrow."

Mintpaw nodded, then turned and padded back to Lizardpaw's side. He was sitting away from the rest of the group, eyes clouded with worry, his tail wrapped around his paws. He was focused on his paws, and did not look up when Mintpaw padded over to join him.

"We're going back to camp now," the she-cat mewed, resting the tip of her tail on Lizardpaw's shoulder. He nodded and pushed himself to his paws. Together, the two friends padded back to camp.

XXXX

It was just past sunrise the next day when Requiemstar held a Clan meeting by the Lowstump. Her call pierced the thick cloud of sleep that had shrouded Mintpaw ever since she had returned to camp at moonset. She was only half awake as she dragged herself out of her nest and into the clearing. Settling down at the back of the group of cats that had formed around the Lowstump, Mintpaw awaited Requiemstar's message.

"Thrushwing's apprentice, Stormpaw, has recieved a prophecy!" the leader announced. Murmurs of surprise and wonder rippled through the Clan. Requiemstar explained to them quickly what the prophecy was about and what the apprentices had done last night. Then, she went on to call out the names of the cats who had been chosen.

"StarClan has called upon Stormpaw, for her knowledge of herbs and poisons, and how to settle squabbles peacefully." Stormpaw stepped forward, beaming. "Mintpaw has been called upon for her excellent hunting skills." Mintpaw started at the sound of her name, then realized that she was supposed to step to the front of the crowd, and so she did. Taking her place next to Stormpaw, she waited as the next two names were called. "StarClan has also called upon Marshpaw and Lizardpaw for the journey."

Mintpaw's head jerked up. Marshpaw and Lizardpaw were going, too? She let out a little squeal of joy and bounced in the air as her two friends padded over to join her.

"But they're just apprentices!" cried Threefoot, a LeafClan elder. "Why couldn't StarClan have chosen at least one warrior? These four are only ten moons old!"

"The decision is not mine to make," Requiemstar meowed cooly. "You are dismissed. Stormpaw, Mintpaw, Lizardpaw, and Marshpaw, please meet me in my den."

As the crowd began to disperse, Mintpaw and her friends clambered into the den that had been hollowed out under the roots of the Lowstump. There was just enough space for the four of them, their leader, and the medicine cat.

"Now," Requiemstar meowed, looking into each apprentice's eyes. "This is a very serious mission. Are you sure you can handle it?"

"We can," Marshpaw meowed quickly. "I know we can!"

"Good," Requiemstar meowed. "This journey will likely take up to five moons. If the Clan is not destroyed by then, then I assure you, you shall have your warrior ceremonies as soon as you return. Thrushwing will set you on the right path."

"Very well then," Thrushwing meowed. "From here, you must cut through FernClan territory. If you are seen, you must tell them that you are on a mission. If they ask you for details, simply walk away. Just keep going forward until you find a stream. Follow the stream in the direction the sun rises until you come to a small Twolegplace. From there, you'll have to find out what to do yourself."

"Alright then," Requiemstar meowed. "You must leave immediately."


End file.
